Drug & supplement interaction

Evodia + Dofetilide

Dofetilide brand name: Tikosyn.

Moderate Interaction
The bottom line Moderate

Dofetilide falls into 2 drug categories that Evodia can interact with; the most serious is rated moderate. Theoretically, evodia might have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias.

Read the full interaction report
SeverityModerate
LikelihoodPossible
Interactions2
EvidenceD
What do Severity, Likelihood & Evidence mean?
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Interaction report

Evodia and Dofetilide

These two interact in 2 distinct ways. Each one is explained separately below.

Why Are There 2 Interactions?

Evodia interacts with whole categories of medication. Dofetilide falls into 2 of those categories, so it can interact with Evodia in 2 different ways. We’ve listed each one below — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them (Moderate).

Moderate

QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS

1 of 2

Why this applies to Dofetilide

Dofetilide falls under QT INTERVAL-PROLONGING DRUGS — the group Evodia interacts with.

Theoretically, evodia might have an additive effect with drugs that prolong the QT interval, potentially increasing the risk of ventricular arrhythmias.
Evodia has demonstrated dose-dependent activity as a proarrhythmic agent in animal and in vitro studies. Evodia infusion in animals extends the action duration potential and induces prolongation of the QT interval and Torsade de pointes.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the thing about dofetilide (Tikosyn): it works by deliberately stretching out part of your heart's electrical cycle, which shows up as a longer QT interval on an EKG. That's also exactly why it's such a carefully dosed drug. Too much QT stretching can trigger a dangerous rhythm called Torsade de pointes.

In lab dishes and animal studies, Evodia has shown the same QT-lengthening, proarrhythmic tendency. Stacked on top of dofetilide, the worry is an additive push in the same direction, raising the chance of fainting, palpitations, or a serious arrhythmia. To be honest, this is theoretical and not proven in people, but dofetilide leaves so little room for error that I'd play it safe. Please check with your pharmacist or cardiologist before combining them.

References
  1. Baburin I, Varkvisser R, Schramm A, et al. Dehydroevodiamine and hortiamine, alkaloids from the traditional Chinese herbal drug Evodia rutaecarpa, are IKr blockers with proarrhythmic effects in vitro and in vivo. Pharmacol Res. 2018 May;131:150-163. DOI
Moderate

CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES

2 of 2

Dofetilide also falls under CYTOCHROME P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) SUBSTRATES.

Theoretically, evodia might increase the levels and clinical effects of CYP3A4 substrates.
In vitro research shows that evodia extract inhibits hepatic CYP3A4. This effect has not been reported in humans.
Severity Moderate Likelihood Possible Evidence D

Interaction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.

Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS
Dr. Brian Staiger explains PharmD, Clinical Pharmacist

Here's the situation with Evodia and dofetilide (Tikosyn). Lab studies suggest evodia may block a liver enzyme called CYP3A4. In theory, slowing that enzyme could let dofetilide build up in your body rather than being cleared at its normal pace.

Why does that matter? Dofetilide is a narrow therapeutic index drug, meaning the gap between a helpful dose and a risky one is small. Higher levels can lengthen the heart's QT interval and trigger a dangerous rhythm called torsades de pointes. That's why dosing is started in the hospital. The good news: this interaction has only been seen in test tubes, never proven in people. Still, because the stakes are high with dofetilide, please check with your pharmacist or cardiologist before adding evodia.

References
  1. Iwata H, Tezuka Y, Kadota S, et al. Mechanism-based inactivation of human liver microsomal CYP3A4 by rutaecarpine and limonin from Evodia fruit extract. Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2005;20:34-45. PubMed

What These Ratings Mean

Every interaction above is graded three ways — here’s the key to each label.

Severity how clinically significant the interaction is
Major

Clinically significant. Avoid the combination, or use only under close professional supervision.

Moderate

Usually worth avoiding or managing — may need monitoring, a dose change, or timing apart.

Minor

Generally not serious. Be aware of it and mention it to your pharmacist.

Likelihood how strong the evidence is that the interaction actually happens in people
  • LikelyWell-controlled human studies have demonstrated the likely existence of this interaction.
  • ProbableInteraction has not been documented in well-controlled studies, however, the interaction has been demonstrated in some small human studies or in controlled animal studies in conjunction with multiple case reports.
  • PossibleInteraction has been documented in animal or in lab research, or the interaction has been documented in humans but is limited to case reports or conflicting clinical research exists.
  • UnlikelyInteraction has been demonstrated in animal or in lab research but has been shown not to occur in humans.
Evidence the quality of the studies behind the rating (graded A–D)
  • AHigh-quality meta-analysis (quantitative systematic review).
  • BCase-control study.
  • CConsensus.
  • DAnecdotal evidence.

These ratings are for information only. Never start, stop, or otherwise change your therapy before speaking with your provider.

Keep it in perspective

Evodia Also Interacts With Other Medications

Evodia has 949 moderate known drug interactions in our database — the Dofetilide one above is among them. If you take anything else, check it against the full list below.

Taking anything else?

Check Another of Your Medications Against Evodia

Covers the 2,830 medications we’ve checked against Evodia. Pick one to open its full report.

From our Q&A

Questions About Evodia or Dofetilide

These are real questions from readers, answered by the pharmacists at HelloPharmacist — written by a person, not generated from a database. Each one covers Evodia or Dofetilide, not necessarily both, but if one is close to what you were about to ask it will usually go further than a database entry can:

Not quite your question? Ask our pharmacists directly — it is free, there is no account required, and answers usually come back within 24 hours.

Everything else you take

See Every Supplement That Interacts With Dofetilide

This page covers Evodia only. If you take other supplements — a multivitamin, a sleep aid, something for joints — the Dofetilide page lists 146 supplements it has a documented interaction with, worst first, each one explained.

The most serious there right now: Activated Charcoal (major), American Hellebore (major), Arsenic (major), Cesium (major) and Ephedra (major).

By severity: 8 major · 98 moderate · 40 minor.

From our pharmacist’s overview on the Dofetilide page

“Dofetilide (Tikosyn) controls abnormal heart rhythms, and it is dosed so precisely that most people start it in the hospital under ECG monitoring. Supplements deserve matching care.”

Reviewed by 2 · Jul 18, 2026

Open the Dofetilide interaction page

One more smart check

Taking Evodia as Part of a Dietary Supplement Product? Check It for Interactions

We hold 182 real supplement products containing Evodia, each one broken down to its full ingredient list — and combination products often carry several ingredients besides Evodia. Your product may carry other ingredients that interact with Dofetilide too, on top of Evodia — and those would not show on this page. Find your product and we’ll check every ingredient on its label:

How much people look this up

Where Evodia and Dofetilide Sit Against Everything Else

Out of every supplement and medication people look up on HelloPharmacist, here is where these two land this week — and which way each has been moving.

Supplement Evodia
Top half

#395 of 1,452 supplements looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today
Medication Dofetilide
Steady interest

#1,789 of 2,830 medications looked up here in the last 7 days

29 days ago today

Position among everything looked up on this site, not a measure of how commonly either one is used or how important it is. A supplement can climb this list because of a news story. It counts every request to the page, automated ones included, and nothing here identifies anyone.

Supplement

About Evodia

What is Evodia?

  • Digestive upset and nausea
  • Headaches
  • Menstrual cramps
  • Abdominal pain
  • Diarrhea

Evodia is a fruit used in traditional Chinese medicine, most often for digestive complaints, headaches, and menstrual pain. Human evidence for these uses is very limited, and it is mostly studied in laboratory and animal research. Talk with a pharmacist or doctor before using it, and avoid it during pregnancy and breastfeeding.

Read the full Evodia monograph & all interactions
Medication

About Dofetilide

What Is Dofetilide Used For?

Brand name: Tikosyn

Dofetilide capsules are used to convert atrial fibrillation (AFib) and atrial flutter (abnormal, rapid heart rhythms) back to normal sinus rhythm, and to help keep those rhythms from coming back. This applies to patients who have had AFib or atrial flutter lasting more than one week and who have already been converted to a normal rhythm.

Because dofetilide can cause serious, life-threatening heart rhythm problems, it is reserved for patients whose AFib or atrial flutter causes significant symptoms. It has not been shown to be effective in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AFib that starts and stops on its own). Tikosyn is an FDA-approved brand of dofetilide capsules with these same indications.

See full Dofetilide drug information
Keep checking

Other Drugs & Evodia

Browse every other medication we’ve checked against Evodia — both the ones with a known interaction and the ones without. Select any drug for the full detail.

0Major
949Moderate
0Minor
1,880No known interaction
Moderate

949 interactions

Showing 60 of 949 moderate interactions — see all 949 on the Evodia page.

No interaction 1,880 drugs checked — show the list
Sources

Sources & How We Checked

Interaction details are evidence-graded and sourced from the Natural Medicines database. The medication overview comes from MedlinePlus.

Content is written and reviewed by licensed HelloPharmacist pharmacists. See our data sources and editorial standards for how this information is built and checked.

Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

© 2021 Therapeutic Research Center, LLC

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Pharmacist Counseling Corner

Taking Evodia and Dofetilide Together: Common Questions

Can you take Evodia with Dofetilide?
There is a moderate interaction, so it may be acceptable with monitoring or timing changes — but check with your pharmacist first. Read the full details on this page and confirm with your pharmacist before combining them.
Why are there 2 interactions listed for Evodia and Dofetilide?
Dofetilide belongs to more than one drug category, and Evodia interacts with each of those categories a little differently. We list every one so nothing is missed — your overall risk is driven by the most serious of them.
How serious is the Evodia and Dofetilide interaction?
We rate it Moderate. This combination may require monitoring, a dose adjustment, or separating the times you take each one. Consult your pharmacist before using them together.

Written and reviewed by the HelloPharmacist editorial staff. Our editorial policy

Still Have a Question About Dofetilide and Evodia?

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This information is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always check with your pharmacist or doctor before starting, stopping, or combining supplements and medications.